This 120-year-old window film manufacturer still has new tricks up its sleeves.
By Casey Flores
For more than a century, Madico has been in the manufacturing game. Visitors to the 120-year-old company’s plant in Pinellas Park, Florida will leave with a new appreciation for the film-making process and a newfound respect for 12 decades of perfecting production yields for the company and industry.
At the heart of Madico’s manufacturing operations is its sprawling 250,000-square-foot plant. This facility houses just about every stage of the window film production process—from raw material receiving to research and development (R&D), coating lines and quality testing. The facility is an authentic manufacturing compound contained, all under one roof.
Research and Development
Manufacturing cannot take place without major investments in R&D. Madico’s lab is
testament to this.
“We can take an idea from concept to functional film sample in 30 minutes,” says
Dr. Timothy Herod, the company’s technical director. This happens often, he says.
The company takes specific requests from customers then makes samples using their
specifications. If the film’s application is widespread enough, Madico will then put
the product into production—but the latter does take some time.
Every film rolling off the line gets archived, to create a record, in the event that a product needs to later be reviewed.
“They do an initial piece that comes in before they start up the film and a piece at
the end,” says Melanie Kuklis, vice president of manufacturing.
So what exactly underpins Madico’s output? Senior vice president and general
manager Jeffrey Plummer says it’s top-shelf talent and industrial-grade assets working
hand-in-hand.
The manufacturing centerpiece is a 68-foot curing oven capable of hitting temperatures of 400°F. While the oven bakes in each film’s performance through closely guarded heating protocols, it can take a while for plant workers to become expert operators of the machinery involved.
“You don’t fully understand these systems until you’ve been here three to five years,” says Timothy Herod, technical director, hinting at the experience required to make the product tinters install day in and day out. The lines are run 24/7 by four people in three eight-hour shifts.
Being vertically integrated allows Madico to adapt swiftly to new challenges, the team
says. For example, when schools started demanding security films with ultra-specific
characteristics, for enhancing crisis safety measures, Madico’s R&D department got
to work quickly on creating a new 12-mil frosted safety film designed to delay entry
and obscure interior views. The product is already seeing installations.
“Safety isn’t just about intrusion protection,” explains Plummer. “It’s about creating
an overall increase in security.”
Production Powerhouse
The company keeps its production lines going with many types of film—both for automotive and architectural applications (and even film to protect your smartphone).
Madico acquired the Clearplex company and brand in 2016. The windshield protection film has been a growth vertical and a product that Plummer says differentiates the company from much of its competition.
“We can sell as much of it as they can slit,” says Kuklis.
Madico’s automotive paint protection films have also built a reputation. The scratch-resistant and self-healing PPF line is one of two products made by the company’s parent company Lintec in Japan (the other being its top-line Wincos automotive window film).
More recently, Madico also got a foothold in the screen protection game. The Protection Pro line of adhesive films for phones, tablets and wearables has made retail in-roads with partners like Best Buy. Plummer says it’s a major success.
Then there’s international distribution.
“About 50% of our business comes from North America, and 50% is international,” Plummer says.
Looking ahead, the company expects to expand its capacity in Pinellas Park in the
coming years. While added physical capacity is a priority, the true driver of Madico’s future success will lie in its ability to innovate, Dr. Herod says.
According to Plummer, a full 8% of sales last year came from new product releases—
an indication of the constant innovation required by the window film industry. With
over 120 patents spanning 12 decades, the company isn’t done innovating.
For example, it’s now collaborating with structural engineers on next-generation
domed roof designs using advanced membrane applications—a potential game-changer for stadiums that want to allow for natural light while keeping out the elements.
One thing is clear, the company is setting its sights on another 120 years of innovation.
Casey Flores is the editor of PPFMag.
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